All images throughout this website are the sole property of Gail Walraven, and cannot be used for any purpose, by any means, without express written permission from Gail Walraven.
© COPYRIGHT 2016, 2017, 2018: Gail Walraven, La Jolla, CA, USA
Mojo: n. a power that can seem magical, and that enables one to be very effective
I call my work PhotoMojo because I strive to bring magic into my images. That's how I create photos: I see something interesting, then do my best to make it great. I like the idea of mojo -- that my magic will bring images to life. When I shoot, I look for the mojo -- a sparkle in the eye, a hint of mischief, a halo of light around the edges -- something that makes the subject unique. I love finding whimsy in mundane surroundings. I focus on things that are less than perfect, but more interesting because of it.
I am generally a spontaneous shooter, and most of my shots are hand-held. I rarely plan to capture an intriguing image, I just look for opportunities and work to make the most of them. I try to simplify each image, removing irrelevant elements until only the best remains.
Every time I take a photograph, I am changed by it. Photography for me is about learning to see. It's about looking at things differently, seeing what others don't. It's about discovering something uncommon and making it amazing. After decades of shooting, I have found that my eye now finds things that my brain doesn't necessarily see. The images on this page are all examples of shots that "just happened." That's mojo.
Photographer: Gail Walraven
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